Here at Coffee Cargo we pride ourselves on our abilities in the art of curation. So while we deal specifically with premium kcup coffees, we also wanted to share some Valentine’s Day gift ideas that might pair well with what we do here. So here are some of our favorites:

We hope you find some good ideas in the products we shared above. For all those that really just want to give or get some good coffee, we are releasing our Valentine’s Day deals tomorrow, February 3, 2016. If you want to receive them, sign up to our newsletter or contact us.

Saint Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, meaning it’s time to find that old green shirt you wear once a year to avoid getting pinched. There’s a variety of ways to celebrate the Irish holiday, but of course our favorite revolves around coffee — Irish coffee that is.

For those of you not entirely familiar with the cocktail, here’s the classic recipe.

Simply put, it’s a delicious mixture of freshly brewed coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar, and cream. The story behind Irish coffee dates back to 1942, when a new chef at the restaurant Joseph Sheridan, decided to show some Irish hospitality to Americans arriving by boat in the cold winter months. It was common in Ireland to put a little whiskey in tea to keep warm, but knowing American’s affinity for coffee, it dawned on the chef to mix coffee and whiskey instead, and thus Irish coffee was born.

Ten years later the Buena Vista restaurant in San Francisco decided to recreate the Irish classic, but it was no easy task. It took several attempts to finally become satisfied with their American version of Irish coffee, but the persistence was well worth it. Currently, the restaurant serves about 2,000 Irish coffees daily.

Today Irish coffee is fairly well known in America, so naturally, restaurants and Irish coffee enthusiasts alike have created their own twists on the signature beverage. Some people use espresso instead of coffee. Be warned, this might overpower the smooth taste of the Irish whiskey but we’ll let you be the judge.

Other alterations include adding small amounts cinnamon and nutmeg, for simple-yet-flavorful touch. Another suggestion is to add chocolate ice cream and chocolate fudge for a decadent sweet treat.

No matter which flavors you choose to emphasize in your cup of Irish joe, be sure to use premium coffee blends for the base of the drink. Our quality k-cups are the perfect ingredient for your Irish coffee endeavors, and they’ll be delivered to your doorstep hassle free. Happy brewing, and Happy St. Patty’s Day!

The relationship between American’s and their coffee is a cherished one, full of unconditional love — that is until you catch wind of one rumor or another about coffee being detrimental to your heart health. Don’t throw your coffee beans in the compost just yet, in honor of National Heart Month we’ll set the record straight about your heart on coffee.

Coffee Research

In years past, coffee got a bad reputation for being the cause of negative effects on the heart. Coffee was blamed for increased blood pressure, increased cholesterol levels, increased risk of heart attacks, and cardiac arrhythmias. Yikes.

Thankfully, professionals–probably coffee lovers like the rest of us–couldn’t accept those accusations against coffee, and the research continued.

Today, further research indicates coffee might not increase the risk of heart disease, but actually reduces it. The previous research didn’t account for lifestyle factors such as smoking and lack of exercise.

In addition to the new cardiovascular research encouraging coffee consumption, experts are also praising java for boosting memory and even helping to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Cancer Research also recently published a study saying that coffee can reduce risk of basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer, so drink up!

Additives

Be mindful of coffee compliments such as cream, sugar, and artificial sweeteners that have their own slew of side effects. Non-dairy creamers such as the powdered, flavored selections often contain chemicals, dairy by-products, hydrogenated oil, and other heart healthy villains. Instead try a natural, gluten-free, cholesterol-free, vegan–but still tasty–option like MimicCream, a bottled almond milk creamer.

Regardless of the additives, like most foods and beverages, coffee is recommended to be enjoyed in moderation.

Now you can rest easy knowing your heart can still be healthy and full of love for coffee. Celebrate the good news and indulge yourself in an artisan cup of java by ordering our premium k-cups to be delivered directly to your doorstep.

It might not come as a surprise that weight loss rang in as the number one New Year’s resolution in 2015, considering it’s consistently popular every year. The real shocker is that only 8 percent of people actually achieve their New Year’s goals, according to Forbes. Whether or not your resolutions align with the weight loss trend, it’s always a good time to be thinking about your health and wellness. The good news is that your daily cup of coffee can help you get healthy in more ways than one.

If you are one of the eight million dieters in the country, don’t feel guilty about rewarding yourself with a well-deserved treat for your exceptional weight loss efforts. We’re not talking about a cheat day full of doughnuts and ice cream, we’re talking about something equally as tasty that won’t break the caloric bank –

Coffee!

Bulletproof coffee has increased in popularity amongst people trying to lose or maintain weight, as well as runners and athletes. The idea behind bulletproof coffee is that adding butter to your cup of joe can curb cravings and increase metabolism, without sacrificing the taste of added dairy. Great flavor and metabolism-boosting mojo? That’s the best of both worlds!

Additionally this week the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, who advise government agencies including the FDA, gave coffee a clean bill of health and suggested it could actively reduce risk for type II diabetes and heart disease.

The FDA can still amend or reject the committee’s guidelines, but their report is a good sign for coffee drinkers across the country.

The main miscreant in their report was sugar, rather than caffeine. Meaning avoid the sugary sodas for your afternoon pick-me-up and alternatively brew a satisfying cup of java. Additionally, nix the caramel frappuccinos at Starbucks and get a simple-yet-satisfying iced coffee. “Sacrifice” doesn’t have to be part of your health and wellness vocabulary, try the word “substitute” instead.

Ready to infuse your lifestyle with the health-supporting benefits of coffee? Have our quality K-cups delivered directly to your doorstep. Now when you’re indulging in a morning cup of our premium roasts, you’ll know you’re already doing something great for your health — and it’s not even noon yet!

As you and your co-workers gather around the communal pot of coffee in the office this morning, it’s very likely there will be quite a bit of Oscar buzz from last night’s awards show. Don’t worry if you didn’t tune in all the glitz and glam — here’s everything you need to know to sound like an Academy Awards expert over your morning cup of joe.

Noteworthy Speeches

J.K. Simmons kicked-off the memorable acceptance speeches when receiving his oscar for best supporting actor. He emotionally urged viewers to “call your mom, call your dad. If you’re lucky enough to have a parent or two alive on this planet, call ‘em. Don’t text. Don’t email. Call them on the phone.”

Another powerful message came during Patricia Arquette’s acceptance speech for best supporting actress. She passionately called for equal rights and equal pay for women in the United States. The crowd’s response was compelling and encouraging.

The Red Carpet

For some people, the allure of watching the Academy Awards happens before the show, on the red carpet. Some of the best dressed hollywood starlets noted this year included Jennifer Aniston, Rosamund Pike, Lupita Nyong’o, and Dakota Johnson. Though Johnson may have looked regal in a simple-yet-stunning Saint Laurent dress, her behavior was anything but. In a joint red carpet interview with her mother, Johnson couldn’t contain a few errant adolescent comments brought on by frustration with her mom. Clint Eastwood also created red carpet excitement by attending the event with his mysterious new girlfriend Christina Sandera.

Next time your favorite award show comes around, be sure to enjoy the event over a premium cup of coffee from Coffee Cargo. Not only will you be indulging in artisan coffee like the stars, you’ll get an extra boost of caffeine to keep you alert through all the excitement of the buzz-worthy occasion.